Bone fractures, particularly osteoporotic bone fractures, are common in older adults. Due to the nature of osteoporotic bone, standard methods of fracture fixation yield unsatisfactory results. Such methods cannot adequately place the broken fragments back to their pre-fracture state. For instance, with a non-osteoporotic bone fracture, common practice includes inserting rods, pins and/or screws into the bone in order to reduce the fracture and/or fix the fracture fragments to plates. Osteoporotic bone generally cannot support such a method. Another common method for non-osteoporotic bone fractures involves maintaining the bone in a cast for several weeks. Osteoporotic bone that has suffered a crush fracture, such as a Colles' fracture of the distal radius, will not heal properly if placed in a cast; the bone mechanics are altered such that the bone is shortened and/or subsides. Yet another non-osteoporotic fracture reduction method involves using an external fixation device. However, when used in elderly patients, the fixation pins may not remain within the weakened bone. Moreover, such a device typically increases the likelihood of infection at the treatment site. Further, because casts and/or an external fixation devices must be left in place for several weeks in order for the bone to heal, the lack of joint movement in the affected area often results in painful arthritis in the immobilized joints of the elderly patient.
Even where osteoporosis is not present, it is typically necessary to immobilize a fractured bone to allow the bone to properly heal. This often requires immobilization of the joints adjacent to the fractured bone—often for extended periods of time. However, such immobilization often causes the joints to degenerate over time. Often, such treatment can result in temporary or permanent loss of joint motion. At the very least, such immobilization of the joints requires extensive and often painful rehabilitation for an individual to recover the full range of their joint motion.